FA Cup 1st qualifying round replay - Dartford v Bracknell Town Tue 2 Sep 2025 @ 19:45

[Ajaxman DFC]

Is it just me, but is this Adrian Pennock's team out there? Because from what I've been hearing and reading the emphasis this season seems to be on the long ball and set pieces. Which is reminiscent of the style of play which got us out of the Ryman Premier and eventually up into the National League.
Technically the game has changed a lot over the years and what worked then doesn't work now.

[Bkev180]

What really gets me how can a team have so much possession and not make it count
Another point annoying is henly as captain tonight foul after foul WAS he in refs ear NO stood in his area clapping his hands samir showed passion when there twat of a player took olly out wake up ady b4 it's two late we need a striker who knows where the net is jones runs none stop but we need goals I honestly think we have no plan B let's lump ball up front where's the footballing side gone from back end of last season

[Kermo18]

Tonight is totally on Pennock and his inability to have a plan b.
Squad depth is abysmal, less than 2 months into the season and Pinder is our most experienced sub.
Samir- put him down, never fit and stealing a wage.
Macleod- a career packed with long term injuries
Micheal - not a captain
I could go on.

I was full of excitement and optimism for this season, but that’s been wiped out already. Never been a fan of Pennock and never will be.

[Kermo18]

Very disappointing performance. Really concerned with this team so far.

Henly as captain today? It's debatable if he should even be on the pitch. Im not convinced in his ability so far, I worry every time the ball goes near him as I don't believe he is quick enough to get down to it. Then the defence ahead of him is shaky at best.

Long balls over the top mostly cuts out our midfield, might as well not be playing. When they did knock it about in the first half I thought ok here we go but we soon reverted back to long ball.

I still think we are alright in attack, just lacking a bit of confidence, should have had a few tonight if they took there chances. I don't think trying to fit Jones, box, dsane/ smith in is working. I think we need to go 2 up top and rotate. Jones and box had a good partnership last season.

We are Still a team with no wingers relying on our wing backs to run up and down all day long and then getting caught on the break. Crying out for a ryno type of player.

Ady says we got to get behind the lads but it's becoming harder and harder when the formation is the same, the tactic is the same,
It's never good when we as fans are screaming for red cards in the hope to get a numerical advantage. That's not how I want to see Dartford win games. Will we ever see Dartford dominate games under Ady? Questions are starting to be asked.

This 100%.
Decent young keeper on the bench who should be given a chance; henly is awful.

[Park Life]

Cant fault the players for their effort as that's always there, but tbh it should be.
Yes we've had our fair share of injuries, some expected some not.
Yes we've had our fair share of suspensions, some unlucky some not.
And again we've had a few decent penalty shouts and some other decisions go against us.
But we are losing because we are just not quite good enough.

I don't think major surgery is needed but I'm of the same opinion now as i was several weeks ago, we are lacking in key areas and lacking experience.
The young players are all doing ok and look to have promising futures but it's not fair to expect too much of them to soon and as a club, we can't afford to wait for players to develop to get results. We need them now.

IMO we are punching below where we should be and i think Ady needs to do some wheeling and dealing now, because i can't see us going on an unbeaten 20 odd game run like last season with the current squad.

Another game where we lacked an edge in most aspects of our play.

[Kermo18]

Cant fault the players for their effort as that's always there, but tbh it should be.
Yes we've had our fair share of injuries, some expected some not.
Yes we've had our fair share of suspensions, some unlucky some not.
And again we've had a few decent penalty shouts and some other decisions go against us.
But we are losing because we are just not quite good enough.

I don't think major surgery is needed but I'm of the same opinion now as i was several weeks ago, we are lacking in key areas and lacking experience.
The young players are all doing ok and look to have promising futures but it's not fair to expect too much of them to soon and as a club, we can't afford to wait for players to develop to get results. We need them now.

IMO we are punching below where we should be and i think Ady needs to do some wheeling and dealing now, because i can't see us going on an unbeaten 20 odd game run like last season with the current squad.

Another game where we lacked an edge in most aspects of our play.

Rose tinted glasses again!
We are getting outplayed every week, where’s the pride?!
Pennock is out of his depth and it’s showing.

[Mark Sweet]

People blaming Henly
He is far from our problem

Put any other keeper in goal we will still be conceding from the same defensive errors
We will still be playing long ball
We will still lack goals

[Sleightly Deceptive]

Blimey! Where is Parky showing evidence of rose tinted glasses? He’s being a restrained as he can be. He’s as pissed off as the rest of us but just more tempered with his words. I’m not, we’re a shambles and it’s looking just like those Dowse Days. We’ll get out of this division for sure, I’m just getting more and more concerned it’ll be the wrong direction. Thankfully, I’m missing two weeks now because of family commitments. Normally I’d be pissed off with bad pre-season planning of events in the football season. But right now, like Tony H, I’m glad of the break. It’s bleak and it’s not enjoyable.

[Park Life]

Cant fault the players for their effort as that's always there, but tbh it should be.
Yes we've had our fair share of injuries, some expected some not.
Yes we've had our fair share of suspensions, some unlucky some not.
And again we've had a few decent penalty shouts and some other decisions go against us.
But we are losing because we are just not quite good enough.

I don't think major surgery is needed but I'm of the same opinion now as i was several weeks ago, we are lacking in key areas and lacking experience.
The young players are all doing ok and look to have promising futures but it's not fair to expect too much of them to soon and as a club, we can't afford to wait for players to develop to get results. We need them now.

IMO we are punching below where we should be and i think Ady needs to do some wheeling and dealing now, because i can't see us going on an unbeaten 20 odd game run like last season with the current squad.

Another game where we lacked an edge in most aspects of our play.

Rose tinted glasses again!
We are getting outplayed every week, where’s the pride?!
Pennock is out of his depth and it’s showing.

Not sure how that's rose tinted when I've said i don't think were quite good enough, need new players and lack an edge in most aspects of our play?

[Kermo18]

Rose tinted glasses may be a bit much, but I’m sick of the excuses thrown about on here.
Pennock has assembled this young squad, the only experience in the squad is made up of the walking wounded.
We’ve been a shambles all season.
No depth in key positions, no leader and a lack of experience.
We send out Campbell on loan and can’t name a full bench a few days later.

[Kermo18]

People blaming Henly
He is far from our problem

Put any other keeper in goal we will still be conceding from the same defensive errors
We will still be playing long ball
We will still lack goals

He’s been beaten so easily in so many games.
Granted the defence in front of him is dire but he’s been so far off the standard so far.

[The 5th Searcher]

If we don’t shoot we don’t score it’s as simple as that, it’s no good us keep playing tippy tappy football on the edge of the box and then falling over like Bambi on ice hoping the ref might just fall for it and give us a penalty.

It was starting to become a joke the way both Eddie & Callum kept going over in the box. Yes I know Eddie did get caught once or twice and did have a clear shout BUT to keep going over isn’t going to work with a clown of a ref like tonight.

The guy in black was absolutely clueless and clearly had no idea as to what was going on most of the time. How he could only give a yellow card to their No 2 for the challenge on Olly I have no idea but then Samir was very lucky to only get a yellow for the shove on the 2. He eventually spoke to his assistant who seemed just as clueless. Still we can’t blame the officials for our atrocious result tonight or our performance.

1st half we was actually trying to play some nice football but far to many short tippy tappy passes without any real shots except Olly’s one from the well worked free kick.

2nd half the less said the better because all we seemed to do was revert back to our old ways of lumping the ball long in the air with absolutely no idea as to what to do with it, it was all hit and hope.

Our injuries are building up more and more and are starting to cost us along with the suspensions.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again our defence has more holes than a colander, Ady seriously needs to look at this and either make big changes or look to get experienced reinforcements in because we are leaking goals left right and centre at present and we can’t afford to keep doing this. After our last few games we’ve used up our luck of pulling back very late goals to level and draw games.

From the games I’ve seen and the highlites watched we are being shown week in week out the sort of damage that wingers can do, Wanadio for Dulwich, the No 17 Saturday & tonight as well as other games. Surely this is something Ady has to look at and bring into our team, us fans can clearly see it and have been going on since last season & throughout the summer that we need wingers and can play better with wingers but we don’t have any at all.
We keep relying on overlapping wingbacks and I’m afraid that neither George or Sam are wingbacks at all and as soon as either come forward it leaves us stranded at the back.

Oppositions wingers have ripped the arse out of our fullbacks and caused us no end of problems. To me George is a far far better centre back than he is a fullback, it’s where he got his goals last season.

Unless Ady can get this team sorted and turned around quickly and get better results then we are going to start losing fans again after managing to build it a bit last year. People are getting fed up with our results & performances already and yet again we are out of the FA Cup at the 1st attempt.

I bloody hope Ady doesn’t use the excuse yet again as he always seems to do which is the lads are young and still gaining experience and we have to give them time.
I’m afraid Ady it was YOU who selected these players and YOU who built this squad of players. IF they are experienced enough to play then they are old enough to play at this level otherwise you should never have signed them in the first place.

[Kermo18]

If we don’t shoot we don’t score it’s as simple as that, it’s no good us keep playing tippy tappy football on the edge of the box and then falling over like Bambi on ice hoping the ref might just fall for it and give us a penalty.

It was starting to become a joke the way both Eddie & Callum kept going over in the box. Yes I know Eddie did get caught once or twice and did have a clear shout BUT to keep going over isn’t going to work with a clown of a ref like tonight.

The guy in black was absolutely clueless and clearly had no idea as to what was going on most of the time. How he could only give a yellow card to their No 2 for the challenge on Olly I have no idea but then Samir was very lucky to only get a yellow for the shove on the 2. He eventually spoke to his assistant who seemed just as clueless. Still we can’t blame the officials for our atrocious result tonight or our performance.

1st half we was actually trying to play some nice football but far to many short tippy tappy passes without any real shots except Olly’s one from the well worked free kick.

2nd half the less said the better because all we seemed to do was revert back to our old ways of lumping the ball long in the air with absolutely no idea as to what to do with it, it was all hit and hope.

Our injuries are building up more and more and are starting to cost us along with the suspensions.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again our defence has more holes than a colander, Ady seriously needs to look at this and either make big changes or look to get experienced reinforcements in because we are leaking goals left right and centre at present and we can’t afford to keep doing this. After our last few games we’ve used up our luck of pulling back very late goals to level and draw games.

From the games I’ve seen and the highlites watched we are being shown week in week out the sort of damage that wingers can do, Wanadio for Dulwich, the No 17 Saturday & tonight as well as other games. Surely this is something Ady has to look at and bring into our team, us fans can clearly see it and have been going on since last season & throughout the summer that we need wingers and can play better with wingers but we don’t have any at all.
We keep relying on overlapping wingbacks and I’m afraid that neither George or Sam are wingbacks at all and as soon as either come forward it leaves us stranded at the back.

Oppositions wingers have ripped the arse out of our fullbacks and caused us no end of problems. To me George is a far far better centre back than he is a fullback, it’s where he got his goals last season.

Unless Ady can get this team sorted and turned around quickly and get better results then we are going to start losing fans again after managing to built it a bit last year. People are getting fed up with our results & performances already and yet again we are out of the FA Cup at the 1st attempt.

I bloody hope Ady doesn’t use the excuse yet again as he always seems to do which is the lads are young and still gaining experience and we have to give them time.
I’m afraid Ady it was YOU who selected these players and YOU who built this squad of players. IF they are experienced enough to play then they are old enough to play at this level otherwise you should never have signed them in the first place.

This 100%!!

[DA Mikey]

If reinforcements are not brought in PDQ for the beleaguered Smith / Olawarju / McLeod / Nayler / Carruthers / Okoye, it is entirely possible that Peter Taylor’s Canvey Island may just come to PP this Saturday and claim their first points of the season.
At times tonight we passed the ball around alright and at no stage was the game like either half of Saturday’s affair. Dsane was unfortunate with the disallowed goal and subsequently hitting the post, but Bracknell took their chances and once again we were undone at right half, just like we were ad nauseam in the Dulwich Hamlet curtain-raiser. This season is not going as planned because of injuries / suspensions but also glaring omissions which have not been addressed. Without Dan Smith we will not capitalise on free kicks and corners. Without Carruthers we are bereft of creativity and without a natural leader our fortitude is shot. Most of the sniping at referees is laughable since they are no more inept than that which they adjudicate at this level.

Let’s try not to get too downbeat too soon - the warning signs are there though and I just hope they are not dismissed.

[DA Mikey]

5th - I echoed a lot of your sentiments there, you were just far quicker out of the blocks! But it must count for something- we can’t all be wrong. How quickly things have de-escalated from the Bonner / Hill / Essam powerhouse days

[dartLion]

5th - I echoed a lot of your sentiments there, you were just far quicker out of the blocks! But it must count for something- we can’t all be wrong. How quickly things have de-escalated from the Bonner / Hill / Essam powerhouse days

You missed one name off your list Mikey, King!
I've been quiet on here for the past one and a half seasons, inwardly disillisioned and squirming at decisions and comments being made by aged cliques of both Board and supporters, (often finding myself agreeing and sympathising with Mark Sweet along the way, free speech here remember?)
I know it will further upset many, but some of the blame for this post Kingy slide since those heady days, must also rest with the old boy network of the Board. They did a good job in the 90's and 00's but too many have lingered on. Times have changed both at business and playing level, and more modern investors and Board members should have been invited some years ago. Changes are now crucial imo in order the club can stabilise.
FFS, even Bus Stop fc with their rookie manager, and shambles of club and ground, have reached the next round of the FA Cup! (doubt they will get any further though but have given themselves the chance!)
My tin hat is firmly fixed on.

[Rixsto]

5th - I echoed a lot of your sentiments there, you were just far quicker out of the blocks! But it must count for something- we can’t all be wrong. How quickly things have de-escalated from the Bonner / Hill / Essam powerhouse days

You missed one name off your list Mikey, King!
I've been quiet on here for the past one and a half seasons, inwardly disillisioned and squirming at decisions and comments being made by aged cliques of both Board and supporters, (often finding myself agreeing and sympathising with Mark Sweet along the way, free speech here remember?)
I know it will further upset many, but some of the blame for this post Kingy slide since those heady days, must also rest with the old boy network of the Board. They did a good job in the 90's and 00's but too many have lingered on. Times have changed both at business and playing level, and more modern investors and Board members should have been invited some years ago. Changes are now crucial imo in order the club can stabilise.
FFS, even Bus Stop fc with their rookie manager, and shambles of club and ground, have reached the next round of the FA Cup! (doubt they will get any further though but have given themselves the chance!)
My tin hat is firmly fixed on.

I actaully agree with this and said it to my boy and other mates that are struggling to find the energy to keep going at the moment, we will be there Saturday but to keep going to this and spending our money to watch route one football week in week out its hard,

But yes I agree we need some fresh faces and fresh Ideas in the boardroom, just seems stuck and not really knowing what to do next, if I remember right at the end of last season it was touch and go weather ady was even going to sign on for next season due to the budget, and I can't see anything has actaully changed in that case,

It's OK to say we need to bring players in but I believe if we had the budget we would have already and not had a bench full of academy players, I genuinely believe we are at the moment one of them skintest teams in the league which is why we desperately needed to win yesterday night to bring some funds in and hopefully bring a player in with it.

I really hope I'm wrong but other people around the club I have spoken too seemed to agree with me too.

[Park Life]

I don't know the actual amount but I am reliably informed the "b" word has increased this season.

How it relates to previous seasons I'm not sure but we had enough in the past to be regularly challenging for promotion in the NLS??

[Lars Resort]

How quickly we have descended into the blame game. It was not that long ago we were rocking on here because we were two games away from automatic promotion.
We haven't had the same central defenders from day one because of injuries and players sent off.
Discipline has been a major problem, I get that and we have players in a squad that a lot of us haven't seen yet.
We now have queries on the management and certain players and now it's leaking back into the old cracked record of the Board.
I do have issues on certain players myself and I still don't get the plaudits of our Mr 45 minute man.
But now we are getting supporters saying they may not come back after taking a break???
Sure, we have problems but it wasn't until October last year that we found we had a good side that went on to give us something to shout about.
Ade gets my backing to sort things but as said, officials have been dire, sendings off regular, and we're only 5 games into our domestic season. And now we have what is an injury crisis for a small squad.
Get behind the lads and our manager.
Yes, we f*cked up on what could have been a good cup run. So be it.

[Sleightly Deceptive]

On the upside, we don’t have the further ignominy of going out to a park team two divisions below us!